Can I collect NY unemployment on newly approved claim after working this year?

Yes, you can collect! If you worked enough during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed) and earned enough wages, you qualify for a new benefit year. The approval letter confirms this. Since you worked 6 months this year, that likely put you over the earnings threshold. Just make sure you certify weekly and report any part-time work accurately.

congrats! same happened to me in january, worked 8 months last year and got approved again. just make sure u certify every week

Just be careful. Make sure the approval is actually for a NEW claim and not just leftover benefits from an old claim. Sometimes they send confusing letters. Did it specifically say NEW CLAIM APPROVED or could it be referring to your old claim? Does the effective date match when you recently applied?

This is actually a common situation. In New York, you need to have worked and earned enough in your base period to qualify for a new claim. Specifically: 1. You must have worked in at least two calendar quarters in your base period 2. You must have earned at least $2,900 in your highest quarter 3. Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter Since you worked for six months this year, you likely met these requirements, which is why you were approved. The $421 weekly benefit amount indicates you had decent earnings during your base period. Just follow the normal certification process every week, and make sure to report any work and earnings accurately.

I had almost the same situation back in January. Got approved for a new claim after working 7 months last year. BUT when I tried to certify online, the system kept giving me errors. Spent 3 DAYS trying to call NYSDOL with no luck - phone system is STILL terrible in 2025! Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have this smart system that calls you when it gets an agent on the line. Watched their demo video first (https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE) to see how it works. The agent fixed whatever was blocking my claim in their system. Sometimes you need to talk to an actual person to get things sorted.

DONT GET TOO EXCITED YET!!! I had the SAME EXACT thing happen in February - got approved for a new claim, certified for 2 weeks, then got a SURPRISE LETTER saying I wasn't eligible because I didn't make enough in my base period. They DEMANDED all the money back!!! Check your base period earnings CAREFULLY before spending any money they give you!!!!

my cousin had this happen and it worked out fine for him. he just did the normal certifying thing every week and got paid no problem. unemployment system actually did something right for once lol

One important thing - when you start certifying for your new claim, make sure you're answering the questions about whether you've refused any work offers correctly. Many people don't realize that saying "no" to suitable work can disqualify you from benefits. Also, if you're working part-time while collecting, remember to report ALL earnings for the week you worked (not when you get paid). New York uses the partial unemployment system where you can work up to 7 days but with reduced benefits.

make sure u check ur payment history page after u certify to see if it says "released" or if theres any pending issues

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - since this is a new benefit year, you'll also have a new 26-week maximum benefit period. This is completely separate from any previous claim you had. The weekly amount is based on your earnings during the base period, which is why you're seeing $421 as your weekly benefit amount. As long as you meet all other eligibility requirements (able to work, actively seeking work, not refusing suitable work, etc.), you should be good to go.

I got so confused about all this unemployment stuff too when I lost my job. The base periods and calculations are like reading a foreign language sometimes lol. I was approved for benefits but then had this weird issue where they kept saying I needed to upload more documents. Anyway, totally off topic but just wanted to say I feel your confusion!

Update: You guys were right! I just certified for my first week on the new claim and it went through fine. The payment is already showing as 'released' in my payment history. Thanks everyone for the help and advice! Such a relief.